1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flying insect trapping devices. Specifically, the instant invention is for trapping and containing carpenter bees.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that carpenter bees are attracted to wood which they can bore into to establish a nest, depositing their eggs in constructed gallery tunnels. Carpenter bees have been known to not only be a nuisance, but also cause tremendous amounts of damage to wooden structures such as wooden soffit and fascia, siding, decks, doors, windowsills, roof eaves, shingles, and railings. Because of the obvious risks associated with treating carpenter bee holes in eaves or soffits, many homeowners will contract with a licensed pest control company to get rid of the carpenter bees. The first step in the treatment of the carpenter bee problem is to apply an insecticidal dust, gel, or other products, directly into nest openings. Treatment is done in the spring when the bees are first observed, and again in mid-summer to kill any bees that continue to emerge, and up until early fall to contact any over-wintering bees occupying the tunnels. In the fall, the holes should be filled with wood putty or wooden dowels and the entire wood surface painted or varnished.
Traps are employed as preventive measures. There are different types of carpenter bee traps that are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,611 to Prince shows a carpenter bee trap comprised of a housing having a hollow interior and at least one solid wall having a hole formed therein to permit carpenter bees to enter the hollow interior of the housing. U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,432 to Gunderman, Jr. teaches an electronic carpenter bee trap having a housing that contains a hole, an electrode in proximity to the hole, and a power source connected to the electrode. The carpenter bees will enter the hole, and make contact with an electrode. Once the carpenter bee makes contact with the electrode, a high voltage discharge will take place through the body of the carpenter bee, thus killing the carpenter bee. U.S. Pat. No. 8,375,624 to Blazer et al. shows a carpenter bee trap comprising of a trap entrance unit having at least one entrance hole in at least one side; and at least one receptacle adapter coupling allowing easy attachment and removal of at least one receptacle; and at least one removable receptacle attached to at least one receptacle adapter coupling thereby allowing bees in the trap entrance unit to enter at least one removable receptacle. U.S. Publication 20080052982 to Windsor includes a trap body, at least one longitudinal passage, and at least one insect entryway. The longitudinal passage is positioned within the trap body so that it is exposed when the wood-boring insect trap is not installed on a structure to be protected, and enclosed when the trap is installed on the structure. The entryway intersects the longitudinal passage and allows wood-boring insects to enter the trap, proceed to the passage, where the insect will encounter an insect disabling substance. U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,402 to Wotton shows a decorative insect trap that includes a decorative cover, a container, and a funnel. The cover is preferably shaped in the form of a fanciful character and has an insect entry, a container opening, and a central window. The container has a mouth and is preferably an empty conventional two-liter plastic beverage bottle.
Prior art devices suffer generally from their ability to accurately mimic the natural habitat and characteristics of a carpenter bee. For instance, they provide ambient light and not natural sunlight. Prior art tunnels and entryways are inaccurate. Moreover, naturally-occurring baits such as pheromone are not used. Finally, prior art traps are uneconomical and inconvenient as bees must be removed by the user if stuck in the sticky substance, and new replacement substances must be ordered from the trap maker which must then be applied manually to the trap by squeezing from a tube or by applying it by some other mechanical means, thus posing an uneconomical solution for the user of the traps.